Instagram's latest update makes it easier for users to see which reels their friends have liked, fostering a more connected social experience but raising privacy concerns as well.

Instagram has taken a bold step in enhancing user connectivity with its new feature that showcases friends' likes on Reels. This change is significant as it not only allows users to discover videos based on their friends' interests, but it also exposes their own video preferences, sparking discussions about privacy and social interactions on the platform.

As announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, users now encounter a bar on the top right of their Reels interface, displaying profile pictures of friends who have liked a reel. Tapping this bar leads to a dedicated feed named 'With friends,' which exclusively shows reels that users' friends have enjoyed. This change makes it easier to engage with friends over content, but it also raises concerns about the pressure to curate one's likes, as all viewing habits become more transparent within one's social circle.

While this feature promotes sharing and discovering content among friends, experts argue it could discourage users from liking reels for fear of judgment or unwanted scrutiny. With likes now under public gaze, some may avoid expressing interest in videos that could be deemed embarrassing or frivolous, impacting user engagement. The absence of an option to hide liked reels further complicates this landscape, putting the onus on users to manage their online personas carefully. On the flip side, the availability of data on likes could enhance personalized content discovery, although it risks alienating those who prefer a more private browsing experience.